5 Tips to Building Rock-Hard Abdominal Muscles!

Want to get a chiseled six pack? When people decide they’re going to bulk up and build some muscle, one of the areas they’re most interested in targeting is their abdominal muscles. To build abs, you’re going to need two things; exercise and proper nutrition. This will help you to lose any belly fat that might otherwise hide a nice set of abdominal muscles.

#1 – Compound Exercises – Abdominal exercises such as sit-ups and crunches are great are isolating your stomach muscles, but focusing on compound exercises can be beneficial in a number of ways. They help you build your overall musculature, stability, and help to burn fat by kick-starting your metabolism. Compound exercises are those which work multiple muscle groups at once.

#2 Cardio – You may know a little about cardio, but many hold the opinion that it is slow, boring and not as effective as interval training. Interval training is fast and energetic; perfect for those who don’t have much time to spare. Start with a warm up first, sprint for 30 seconds and then rest for 30 seconds. This is an interval; a period of high-intensity activity followed by a period of low-intensity, before repeating.

Interval training doesn’t have to involve sprinting through. If you don’t have time to get out, you can always Burpees, or Dumbbell Swings instead. These are just as effective and don’t require nearly as much room.

#3 – Meal Planning/Diet – Many people eat 3 large meals a day, which is fine; but if you really want to kick-start your metabolism and burn fat you need to start having smaller meals more frequently. 5-6 smaller meals spaced at 3-4 hour intervals should be enough. Just make sure your diet consists of lean meats, wholegrain, fruits, vegetables, nuts and beans. Be sure to drink around 7-8 glasses of water a day. To make this easier, try to have 1-2 glasses at mealtimes.